Crystal Dance
by FireflyOfDeath
Summary: Sarah's friend Marie is acting strangely, during Christmas time they go to the mall for a book sale. There they find a book Sarah had never expected to see again. This fic includes: romance, envy, action/adventure, horror, humor, and everything else
1. Chap. 1

Author Note: I don't own Labyrinth, Sarah and Jareth belong to... Henson? or whoever... *whistle* oh..and Crawling is a song from Linkin' Park...I guess I'll just put that ^^; oh and so is..ummm Pushing Me Away, and all otehr Linkin' Park songs that I may include, k? And all other songs that I include! (which will be...a lot throughout the fic, read on!) r&r  
  
Crystal Dance  
  
Chapter One  
By:  
FireflyOfDeath  
  
-- --  
  
Marie sat idly staring into her vanity mirror. Life was boring. So was everything. Life most of all though. A small smile graced her lips but vanished as quickly as it had come. She closed her eyes briefly no longer wanting to look into her reflection...because truth be told...when she looked into her eyes...there was nothing. She had no soul, no life. She got up from her seat and turned on her boom box. The song on the radio was Linkin' Park's "Crawling".  
  
~Crawling in my skin  
these wounds they will not heal...  
fear is now my foe  
confusing what is real...~  
  
'...What is real?' She thought to herself while paying attention to the words for once. "Certainly not what's here in this dreary excuse for a world...There has to be something more..." She answered quietly deep in thought.  
  
~There's something inside me   
that pulls beneath the surface...  
Consuming, confusing...  
This lack of self-control  
I fear is never-ending...  
Controlling, I can't seem to find  
myself again...my walls are closing in..  
I felt this way before...so insecure~  
  
She thought a moment to herself in silence. 'Maybe there is a different world? A world completely different from this ..mundane one? Somewhere out there...like in fairy tales...' She twirled a strand of black hair between her forefinger and thumb. Her friend Sarah was big on fariy tales, and had brought her into her little group of friends.   
  
~Crawling in my skin  
these wounds they will not heal...  
fear is now my foe...  
confusing what is real..~  
  
Wounds? ... Oh how she knew of that...not physical wounds...but...but emotional scars really. They nagged at you throughout your entire life...and you were never really able to ever forget them..She sat in front of her vanity again staring into the reflection it showed her.  
  
~Discomfort endlessly has   
poured itself upon me...  
Distracting, reacting...  
Against my will I stand beside my own   
reflection...  
It's haunting how I can't seem...  
to find myself again...  
my walls are closing in  
I've felt this way before...so insecure~  
  
She raised an eyebrow at how those words had fit exactly what she was thinking, and what she was doing. She smirked a bit shaking her head, she walked over to her boom box and shut it off. Taking herself by surprise she knelt to the floor in tears. She hugged her knees tightly. "Damn this world...damn everything on it! ...This....this isn't where I'm meant to be... I belong somewhere else..." Through red eyes and blurred vision she looked out the window. Children were playing happily without a care in the world. "...so, I'll just have to end my..boring pathetic life...it won't take long..no one will, no-tice I'm go-one" she mumbled stuttering a bit from the intense emotions pacing through her.   
  
Marie got to her feet automatically brushing off her black jeans. She rubbed her grey eyes viciously wiping the tears away. She made her way to the kitchen, her mom was out Christmas shopping so...no one would help her if she backed out when it was too late. She got a knife from the drawer and closed her eyes. She gently placed the knife on her skin, and just before she slit her first wrist, the phone rang breaking the silence. Marie blinked and stared at the phone. "...is this a sign?" she set the knife back in its place. The phone rang a third time. She slowly picked it up.  
  
"Hello?" Marie asked whoever was on the other line to make sure they were still there.   
  
"Hey Marie, it's me Sarah."   
  
"Oh, hey Sarah. What's up?" Marie asked, trying to make her voice less shaky from the thoughts of what could have happened if Sarah hadn't called, Sarah in a way had just saved her pathetic sorry excuse for a life...if you could call it that.  
  
"Nothing much! Well, I was wondering if you weren't doing anything today, it being a Saturday and all; if you'd wanna come to the mall with me? Do some Christmas shopping?"  
  
Marie smiled. Sarah never forgot to include her in something...it made her feel...special. "Sure. What time?"  
  
"...Um...how about...er...what time is it now?"  
  
Marie rolled her eyes and looked at her watch. "It's 5:30 p.m"  
  
"oh yeah, I knew that! So, I'll be at your house in about ten minutes, k?"   
  
"Sure, see ya then"  
  
"Alright, bye!"  
  
"bye..." Marie hang up and smiled genuinely for once in five years. Five years ago, when she was only twelve her father and baby brother had died in a car accident. She had been closer to her brother then anyone, and she had preferred her father over her mother, which would account for her tomboy attidut. She usually wore black jeans, a red t-shirt, a leather jacket, and black combat boots.  
  
She grabbed her small backpack (she refused to carry around a purse) and went outside to wait on the porch for Sarah.   
About thirteen minutes later Sarah drove up in her dark blue convertible waving to Marie to hurry up.  
  
Marie quickly walked to Sarah's car and jumped inside not using the door.   
  
Sarah rolled her eyes heavenwards. "Marie, must you always do that? Ever heard of a door? You know the thing with a handle which you open and close to go in and out of places?"   
  
Marie shrugged smirking a bit. "Door...hm, that's not my definition. Door...something used to keep people out of your personal affairs."   
  
Sarah smiled a bit. "Well, this is my car"  
  
"But you invited me in" Marie corrected.  
  
Sarah shrugged. "It's really pretty here in winter time, don't you think?"   
  
Marie sighed and watched her breath form visibly on the air."I guess. Let's get going! I here they're having a sale on all fantasy books at Barnes and Nobles at the mall"  
  
"Really!? Then what the hell are we sitting around her for!?" She smiled and drove off the direction of the mall.   
  
*****  
  
In the car it was mostly silent. Marie's thoughts began to wander off to different places. It was too quiet, she finally realized. When she could think about two or three things at once, it was too quiet. She turned Sarah's radio on, listening to her Hard Rock station, Sarah didn't mind as long as Marie didn't put it on her Heavy Metal station...that would prove to be a problem.  
  
Marie raised a black eyebrow as she noticed another song from Linkin' Park was playing entitled "Pushing Me Away"   
  
~I've lied to you...  
the same way that I always do...  
This is the last smile  
that I'll fake for the sake of being with you...  
The sacrifice of fighting in a lie...  
The sacrifice is never knowing  
Why I never walked away  
Why I blame myself this way  
Now I see your testing me  
Pushes me away  
  
Why I never walked away  
Why I blame myself this way  
Now I see your testing me  
Pushes me away  
  
I've tried like you  
to do everything you wanted to....  
This is the last time..  
I'll take the blame for the sake  
of being with you  
The sacrifice of fighting in a lie...  
The sacrifice is never knowing  
  
Why I never walked away  
Why I blame myself this way  
Now I see your testing me  
Pushes me away  
  
Why I never walked away  
Why I blame myself this way  
Now I see your testing me  
Pushes me away  
  
The sacrifice of fighting in a lie...  
The sacrifice is never knowing  
  
Why I never walked away  
Why I blame myself this way  
Now I see your testing me  
Pushes me away  
  
Why I never walked away  
Why I blame myself this way  
Now I see your testing me  
Pushes me away  
Pushes me away...~  
  
Sarah looked at me. "Is this the kind of stuff you always listen to at Christmas time??"   
  
I looked at her and shrugged. I pulled out a CD from my bag. "Actually, yea it is. I listen to 'My December' by them too..."  
  
Sarah shrugged. "Well let's hear it."   
  
I nodded and inserted the CD swithcing through the songs until I got to 'My December'.   
  
~This is my December...  
this is my time of the year...  
This is my December  
this is all so clear...  
This is my December  
this is my snow-covered home  
This is my December  
this is me alone and I...  
(just wish that I didn't feel that there   
was something I missed)  
and I... (take back all the things  
I said to make you feel that way)  
and I...(just wish that I didn't feel that there   
was something I missed)  
and I... (take back all the things  
I said to make you feel that way)  
And I'd give it all away  
just to have somewhere to go to...  
Give it all away....  
to have someone to come home to...  
  
This is my December  
these are my snow-covered trees  
This is me pretending  
This is all I need..  
and I...  
(just wish that I didn't feel that there   
was something I missed)  
and I... (take back all the things  
I said to make you feel that way)  
and I...  
(just wish that I didn't feel that there   
was something I missed)  
and I... (take back all the things  
I said to make you feel that way)  
  
And I'd give it all away  
just to have somewhere to go to...  
Give it all away  
to have someone to come home to...  
This is my December...  
This is my time of the year...  
This is my December...  
this is so clear!  
  
Give it all away...  
just to have somewhere to go to...  
Give it all away...  
to have someone to come home to...  
  
Give it all away...  
just to have somewhere to go to...  
Give it all away...  
to have someone to come home to...~  
  
The song ended and Sarah looked at me raising a dark eyebrow. "You listen to...sad...music during Christmas time...you should be happy this time of year..."  
  
Marie looked at her straight in the eye making her shudder a bit. "...This is happier then it ever gets...you should listen to what I hear off season..."   
  
She furrowed her brows. "You can have really strange mood swings sometimes...you know that?"  
  
Marie looked straight ahead at the road as they drove into the parking lot at the mall. 'You don't know me...' Marie thought bitterly. 'You have tons of friends, and really have no reason to be depressed. you have a great life, great friends, great family...a step-mom, a dad, a little brother, good grades, everyone loves you so much. You're Miss Perfect...'   
  
Sarah parked underneath a tree kind of far, since there were a lot of cars. She looked up briefly as she got out of the car tieing her long black coat tighter around herself, that reminded Marie somewhat of the Mafia, she saw a white barn-owl perched on the tree watching them.   
  
Marie looked up too. "Hey...shouldn't it be sleeping?"  
  
Sarah stared at it for awhile. "...Time is different from where it comes from..." She responded, mostly to herself.  
  
Marie looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "You alright? I think my music and the cold has effected your brain...we should go inside..."  
  
Sarah nodded briefly, and finally tore her gaze away from the owl. Marie and Sarah continued to walk towards the mall the owl's gaze never leaving them.  
  
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~  
To be continued...  
  
Firefly: ...YES it is a J/S fic, alright!? Happy!? lol, j/k. I love those pairings. Should I pair Marie with someone I have to make up? Or should I make her a loner? PLEASE VOTE FOR IT! r&r 


	2. Chap. 2

Disclaimer: Oh! Way cool! I got reviews! Ya hoo! Yeah, I know I made mistakes, but I realized that after I posted it, and ... well I'm lazy...we'll leave it at that. All right, on for the next chapter.   
  
Crystal Dance  
  
Chap. 2  
By:  
FireflyOfDeath  
  
-- --  
  
Marie and Sarah walked into their mall allowing themselves to thaw out, their cheeks and noses a bright red. After they had gotten over the temperature changes from outside and inside they walked to where the book sale was.   
  
Marie looked around. "..." She was currently looking for a book to give to Sarah, or to find another book for herself that she hadn't read yet.  
  
Sarah immediately went over to the Fantasy section.   
  
Marie was there also skimming through the shelves of books. One book caught her eye, for no particular reason at all. She looked closer; it was a small red leather book with, with gold letters engraved in it that read: 'Labyrinth' Marie raised an eyebrow and took the book from its shelf, maybe it was about Mythology and that guy Thesseus who had slain the Minotaur in that great Labyrinth? "... ...Hey Sarah, have you read this one before?" She held the book up for Sarah to see, her voice hardly had any excitement, let alone emotions.   
  
Sarah looked up from reading the synopsis of another book. Her eyes widened slightly, she'd never expected to see that cursed book again. "...I've read it"  
  
"Do you have it?"   
  
"...Not anymore..."  
  
"Well...did you like it?"   
  
Sarah stayed silent.   
  
Marie raised an eyebrow. "...Well then, since you don't want the book, I guess I'll just buy it for myself" She walked over to the register holding up the book. "I'd like to buy this..."   
  
The guy at the cash register took the book and scanned it. "It'll be $11.25"  
  
Marie nodded and took out her wallet giving him a twenty-dollar bill. "Would you by any chance have a clue to what it's about?"  
  
He looked at her. "Didn't you read the summary?"  
  
Marie raised an eyebrow. "It doesn't have one"   
  
"Well then, I don't know." He answered simply not really caring. He gave her the book, the change, and the receipt.  
  
"Tch. Fine be rude to all your customers" Marie muttered under her breath putting the book in the plastic bag and walking over to Sarah.   
  
Sarah was looking through the shelves. Nothing caught her eye, not since Marie had found the book Labyrinth. It had stirred up some forgotten memories. Sarah jumped as Marie tapped her on the shoulder. She looked up. "Yeah?"  
  
"Have you found anything? I think Labyrinth's going to be a cool book, and I want to read it. So, have you found anything you like yet so we can get going?"  
  
Sarah looked back to the shelves, and randomly chose a book. "This one" She replied not looking at the cover.  
  
Marie raised an eyebrow, "Sarah, you do know that's the same book I got right?"   
  
Sarah's eyes widened and she looked closer at the cover, indeed it read: Labyrinth; in gold shiny letters. She quickly put it back and chose another one it was entitled 'Grimm Tales: The complete edition' "This one" she said and walked to the counter to purchase the book she had chosen.  
  
Marie watched them, Sarah and the guy at the register looked like they were having a friendly conversation; probably about the book. Marie glared a bit, it kind of hurt to know that people shunned you. Well it hurt to know, yet she always knew; it just hurt more when she was reminded of it.   
  
Sarah walked over to her waving her hands in front of Marie's eyes. "Hello in there? Come on, I got my book. Let's go back to your house to read since I don't want to go back home just yet, I told my mom I'd be gone all day, and I don't want to baby-sit Toby, four year olds can be a little too hyper you know?"  
  
Marie nodded and walked out of the shop. She noted that music was a lot different in the mall, inside. They were playing Christmas music; Jingle Bells, Silver Bells, Green Sleeves, Frosty the Snowman; She stopped at the doors allowing Sarah to go ahead. She'd never heard Christmas music before, besides when she was six, but that was a long time ago. When everything in her life wasn't ruined yet.  
  
Sarah turned around halfway outside. "Come on Marie, hurry up we don't have all day"  
  
Marie shrugged and walked alongside Sarah. 'Actually we do...' She thought to herself but decided to keep the thought to herself, not taking notice that she had dropped the book when she stopped to listen to the Christmas carols. As they walked back to the car, Marie noted that a barn owl was perched on the limb above the car. She watched it warily, there was definitely a weird feeling about it, but she couldn't figure it out.  
  
*****  
  
In the car Sarah driving as usual, she never let anyone else drive unless they begged or pleaded, bribery worked too.   
  
Marie watched the road as the little white lines went by quickly. She felt as if she were forgetting something, her eyes widened as realization dawned on her. "Sarah stop the car!" The car skidded to a stop.   
  
"What?" Sarah asked looking to her friend concerned. "Is everything okay!?"   
  
"I left my book at the mall!"   
  
Sarah's expression lightened a bit, yet still held a glimpse of worry, "No you didn't, it's back there" She pointed to the general direction of the back seat.  
  
Marie turned and looked. Sure enough her book lay innocently on the leather seat of the car. She looked at it strangely and turned back to look at Sarah after bending over the seat and retrieving the book, "Did you get it for me when I dropped it or something?"  
  
Sarah raised an eyebrow, "No, why?"  
  
Marie knitted her eyebrows close together, "No reason..." She looked at the book, and shrugged as Sarah continued driving.  
  
*****  
  
Sarah parked in Marie's driveway and they got out, or in Marie's case: jumped out.   
  
Sarah rolled her eyes and walked with Marie to her door. Marie shoved her hand in her pocket and recovered her house key. She unlocked her door, and it opened with a creak, which echoed eerily in the silence. She turned the lights on revealing a living room with a cream carpet, a black rug, two beige fluffy couches, a piano in the edge of the left-side of the room, and a fireplace on the other end of the room.   
  
'Her mom must be wealthy' Sarah noted, 'then why is she so...depressed?'  
  
Marie went over to the piano. "Bet you didn't know I could play?" Once again her voice was monotone.   
  
Sarah drew her eyes away from the beauty of the room. "...Will you play something?"  
  
Marie nodded slightly and sat down on the small black bench. Her fingers brushed against the keys she started out with a warm up then continued in playing Fur Elise. It was completely flawless, better then even Beethoven the writer of the song.   
  
Marie ended the song with a dramatic gesture almost forgetting her reputation of being an uncaring, brutal, juvenile.   
  
Sarah began clapping loudly. "That was great Marie! How long have you been playing?"   
  
Marie smiled, and then sighed. "Let's read our books now, shall we?" her voice was devoid of emotion and she walked to one of the couches, she lied down flipping over on her stomach and began reading the book.   
  
Sarah looked at her friend. 'Is it normal to just change attitudes like that? ...Maybe she's psycho?' She dismissed the thought as she looked at her friend. 'She may be weird, but she's not crazy...' Sarah shrugged and began to read her book.   
  
*****  
  
Three hours later Sarah and Marie both completely intrigued in what they were reading Marie's mother, Andrea; came home.   
  
"Marie, sorry it took so long. I had another emergency at work. Same old, Mr. Chappell had a stroke, we had to do another surgery on him. He didn't survive this time...poor thing"   
  
Marie's head snapped up from her book and looked towards Andrea. "Oh, hi mom. Mr. Chappell died? What a pity..."   
  
Andrea raised an eyebrow. "Honey, you feeling alright? Who's your friend?"  
  
Marie looked at Sarah. "Sarah Williams. You remember her right mom? You met her parents when I spent the night at her house once?"  
  
Andrea smiled warmly at Sarah. "Of course I remember! Sarah dear, will you be staying for dinner?"  
  
Sarah looked towards Marie. "I'm afraid that won't be possible. Time has flown by so quickly I've lost track. I really have to get home" Sarah grabbed her purse and book getting up to leave.   
  
"Oh what a shame, I really would have enjoyed to have other company besides Marie, it dos get rather lonely." Andrea said sadly.   
  
Marie watched Sarah. "Um mommy, you can invite your friends over if you want! I'm spending the night at Sarah's house..."   
  
Sarah looked at Marie quizzically.   
  
Marie signaled Sarah to wait for her as she ran upstairs to get her things ready. Two minutes later Marie came back with her backpack full of stuff. She grabbed her book. "Bye mom! I'll call you tomorrow, alright?"  
  
"Good-bye Ms. Ozmerick!" Sarah yelled as she was pulled by Marie out the door.  
  
Andrea barely had the chance to say anything by the time the girls were out the door. "...Kids" She shrugged and went to call her friends from work.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
To be continued.   
  
Firefly: Alright, not much to say here. Um, please don't forget to review! 


	3. Chap. 3

Disclaimer: Damn...still misspelled the word 'does' *runs in circles* sorry. I'm a bit hyper ^^; heehee. This will be my longest chapter! (so far) Well n e way, I don't own Labyrinth, though I do own a copy of the movie, and a Goblin King plushie doll...and the soundtrack…and I will get the book! I swear it!! okee, go on and read.  
  
Crystal Dance  
  
Chap. 3  
By:  
FireflyOfDeath  
  
"Hey Marie, what's the hurry?" Sarah asked after they were out the door and headed to Sarah's car.  
  
Marie jumped into the car. "Hm, hurry? Well I really want to read this book, it's just getting good. And yet my mother, if I stayed, would pester me about it, then she would take it from me and take forever reading it, then next thing I know, she'll lose it." Marie answered lightly tracing over the letters with the tip of her finger.  
  
"...Alright, well when we get home, hurry up to my room before Karen stops us, alright?" Sarah responded entering the car using the door.  
  
"Whatever."  
  
*****  
  
The dark blue car drove up Sarah's driveway. "Remember, run as fast as you can upstairs! K?" Sarah said as she closed her car door.  
  
"...Fine. Let's just go inside! Its kind of creepy out here when it's dark..."  
  
Sarah raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Let's hurry inside then..."   
  
Marie and Sarah crept to the front door. Sarah slowly opened it making sure not to let it creak. "Come on...so far so good..." She whispered barely audible against the stiff silence.  
  
Sarah made a dash towards the stairs, Marie following close behind her with her bag. As they were about halfway up the stairs the lights turned on.   
  
"Where do you think you're going? Why weren't you home earlier Sarah?" Karen asked standing next to the light switch upstairs.  
  
Sarah sighed rolling her eyes as she looked up at her stepmother. "I'm going to my room. I wasn't home earlier because Marie and I went shopping, and I went over to Marie's house and lost track of time."  
  
"Ah. And just who is Marie?"  
  
Sarah moved slightly to the side so Karen could see Marie.  
  
Marie looked up at Karen. "I am Marie. Marie Ozmerick. It's nice to meet you Mrs. Williams. I'm sorry to come here in such short notice, and sorry to burden you but you see my mother went out of town for business this weekend..."  
  
Karen nodded. "And what about your father?"  
  
Marie shifted uneasily. It still pained her to remember her family she'd lost. She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. "You see.... my father is...my father died when I was 12 years old, I'd rather not go too far into that subject..."  
  
Karen stayed silent for a while then decided something. "Well then, you're welcome to stay here...I'll just be leaving you girls alone." She began to walk away when she turned around. "Don't stay up too late, Marie it was nice meeting you...good night." She left the room and Sarah and Marie continued their journey up the stairs.   
  
"You're lucky. Usually it takes an hour to get past her." Sarah said reaching the top of the stairs and turning left into her room.   
  
Marie followed right behind her and closed the door when she reached her destination. She turned towards Sarah. "So, shall we continue reading?"  
  
Sarah shrugged. Grimm Tales was kind of freaky, but it was pretty interesting...not that she paid any attention to it, she was far too occupied reminiscing on the Labyrinth. Ever since she had set eyes on that damned book, and the coincidence of seeing the owl, she couldn't stop thinking of the Labyrinth, and Jar--, no, mustn't say his name...and the Goblin King...  
  
Marie sat on Sarah's floor against the dresser using a pillow to rest her head on. She continued her reading.   
  
Sarah watched Marie for a while. "...Where are you in the story?"  
  
Marie looked up at Sarah causing the pillow to slip from its place and Marie to bang her head against the wood. "…O-Owe.... I'm where the girl is going to face the Goblin King." Marie rubbed her head a bit. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"No reason. Can I read it when you're done?"   
  
"Sure..."  
  
"Than--" Sarah was interrupted from the sound of knocking at her door. 'Oh I swear! If that's Karen I'm going to be so pissed off...' She thought as she walked over to the door and opened it.   
  
Marie glanced up as a small voice was talking.   
  
The little boy gleefully ignored Sarah's words, which were telling him to get out, and he bounded up and sat at the edge of Sarah's bed. "What's your name?" he asked looking at Marie.  
  
Marie looked at him, a strange emotion in her eyes. He reminded her so much of her little brother, Luke. "...My name is Marie...what's yours?"  
  
Toby looked at her blinking a bit. "Toby! I'm Sarah's brother. What's that you're reading?"  
  
Without looking at the book Marie responded, "Labyrinth..."  
  
Toby thought for a bit. "Did ya know Sarah was in the Labyrinth once? She was trying to save me...and she had to fight against lots of ugly goblins!!" He made an impression of one stretching his face out.  
  
Marie laughed a bit. Then Sarah ushered Toby out the room trying to think of how he remembered all of that.  
  
"Your brother is cute...was he...I know this sounds stupid but, was he telling the truth about the Labyrinth?"  
  
Sarah's eyes widened. "No!" She responded, perhaps too quickly. Her response startled Marie and she slipped her head again hitting the hard wood.  
  
"Damn..." Marie mumbled rubbing her head. "I swear next time I do that I'm likely to develop amnesia"  
  
Sarah scratched the back of her head. "er...sorry about that..."  
  
"It's alright, I'm fine"  
  
Sarah just nodded in response. "You can continue reading if you want..."  
  
Marie looked around a bit. "Yeah, okay. But let's go downstairs to your living room its kind of cold up here"  
  
"Heat...rises, it'll be colder downstairs"  
  
"...Yea, but downstairs there's a little device called a fireplace."   
  
"...Oh yeah, alright then let's go"  
  
Marie got up and followed Sarah downstairs.   
  
Once they got downstairs Sarah started the heater, and Marie and Sarah each sat on separate chairs and read their books.  
  
**30 minutes later**  
  
Marie shut the book and put it on the small counter, she shivered slightly. 'Why am I so cold? Usually I'm only cold in temperatures below 0....' She thought to herself, and then looked at her arms. Goosebumps...even the hair at the back of her neck was standing up. 'But why?' She looked over to Sarah who seemed to be toasty warm.  
  
Sarah looked up from her book, and at Marie noting that she was no longer reading. "Are you finished?"  
  
Marie only nodded in response. How could Sarah not be cold?   
  
"Can I read it now?"  
  
Marie nodded again, walked over to Sarah's chair, and handed her the book. "Sarah, I think I'm going to go up, and go to bed, I'll get like a sleeping bag for myself and everything"  
  
Sarah looked at her. "Tired already?"  
  
Marie only nodded for the third time.  
  
Sarah shrugged. "I'll be up there in a little bit, I have to put out the fire and stuff, alright?"  
  
Marie nodded for the fourth time, and began to walk upstairs. She walked to the closet across the hall from Sarah's room and got out a sleeping bag. She walked back to Sarah's room and set it on the floor. "Time to sleep..." she mumbled to herself, she turned off the light and climbed into the sleeping bag glad for its warmth. She closed her eyes and mumbled "...It would be cool if the goblins would come and take me away...I wish they would come and take me away...right now..." She closed her eyes and slipped off into a deep sleep.  
  
A few minutes later Sarah crept into her room only to find Marie was gone. "...Marie...yoo-hoo...Marie??? Where'd you go?" She tried to turn on her light, only to find that it wasn't working. "...Probably just a bad bulb or something..." she reassured herself. 'Even though I just changed it yesterday...' she added silently to herself.   
  
"You know it's not the bulb," a very familiar voice answered from the shadows. It was definitely a male voice, deep and had a sultry English accent.  
  
Sarah's eyes widened and she turned around. "...Jareth...what are you doing here?"  
  
"It should be obvious." He answered brusquely.   
  
Sarah thought for a moment. "...Oh my god...she didn't did she?"  
  
"What other reason would I have to be here?"  
  
Sarah rubbed her temples already feeling the signs of a migraine coming on. "Well...you didn't have to take her…I mean she's too old to become a goblin..."  
  
"Yes, and even if I could turn her into a goblin, why waste such beauty?" He smiled at Sarah's reaction, which was to glare a bit.   
  
"Okay, whatever. So what do I have to do to get her back? I mean if her mom finds out that I've lost her daughter to roam forever in an oubliette or whatever, she'd kill me..."  
  
"Sarah..." he made a 'tsk tsk' sound, and circled around her. "Have you not learned your lesson?"  
  
She clenched her teeth trying to ignore the fact that he could still make her feel very unimportant and small. "What? I didn't wish her away, she did it herself."  
  
He stopped circling her and stood in front of her. "...Yes, yet you wish to challenge me again..."  
  
"Well, I very well couldn't let her be stuck there"  
  
"She wants to be there..."  
  
"Hahaha, probably won't when she sees the mess it is..."  
  
Jareth glared at her, his mismatched eyes blazing into hers. "A lot has changed since you've been in the Labyrinth, let alone my castle."  
  
"Changed? How so? Don't tell me you taught the goblins how to fetch a newspaper!" She made a fake gasp pretending to be fascinated.   
  
"Hm, I see you still understand nothing"  
  
Sarah shrugged not really caring. "I'll repeat the main road of our conversation. What do I do to get Marie back?"  
  
Jareth sighed. "Fine, have it your way Sarah. This would be so much easier if you would listen to me, and not insist on challenging the Labyrinth. Just because you beat it once, does not mean you will beat it again."  
  
Sarah rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. "Yes, yes. That's nice. I see we've come to an understanding, so I will go through the Labyrinth again? Piece of cake..."  
  
"Oh yes, and this time you will have no help from Hoghead or that hairy monster, or any of your 'friends' from your last adventure...if you make it through the Labyrinth this time, which I doubt, it will be nothing but pure luck..."  
  
"Hoggle"  
  
"Whatever"  
  
Sarah sighed. 'Hoggle wasn't supposed to help me last time either, but he did! Why shouldn't he this time?' "let's just get on with it..."  
  
Jareth sighed. "Such a pity..."   
  
The ground beneath Sarah's feet shifted then became something else all together. She was back on the hill where she had first started last time.   
  
"Your destination is the castle..."  
  
"How much time do I have?"  
  
"It does not matter...no one can beat this Labyrinth...If I limited your time...it would only mean that you would have no chance at all of beating the Labyrinth..." After saying that he disappeared from the hill in a cloud of glitter.  
  
"...Alright then..." She looked over at the Labyrinth. "Come on feet...let's go...again" She added and started off down the hill.  
  
*****  
  
Marie rolled over on her stomach in bed groaning a bit. '...Bed…since when was I asleep in a bed?' she thought groggily. 'What time is it?' she slowly opened her eyes. "...This isn't Sarah's room...this isn't even Sarah's sleeping bag!" She looked at the bed she was sleeping in. "I like the colors though..." she added when she noticed that the bedspread was black, the pillows, sheets, and the bed skirt were all a dark red color. "...Where am I?"  
  
"In my castle..." a deep voice answered her question. She noted it had an English accent.   
  
"Whose castle? Who are you?" She asked in monotone.  
  
Jareth stepped into the light of the small lamp, which was by Marie's bedside.   
  
"...Just because you stepped into the light doesn't mean I'll know who you are." she said in a mocking tone.  
  
"I am Jareth, and this is my castle."  
  
"Oh, that's great now we're getting somewhere. Where's this castle? Who exactly are you? What year is it? What time is it? And most importantly...that fashion went out of date a long, long time ago"  
  
Jareth ignored the last comment. "The castle is in the Underground, my kingdom. I am the Goblin King. The year and time are unimportant."  
  
"The Goblin King? From that book?"  
  
He only nodded in response getting quite bored to where this conversation was headed.  
  
"Oh, well then...that makes things much clearer. You should have said that before. Now, what now?"  
  
"You stay here."  
  
"...Right. That's great, just great. Do I get any of my possessions from earth?"  
  
"...Only one"  
  
"Two"  
  
"Fine"  
  
"Great, I want my CD player and my CDs, and I want my computer"  
  
"Alright." He twirled his hand slightly and they all appeared in the room, the CD player along with her hundreds of CDs on her bed and her computer at the edge of the room. "Great...all right thank y--" Marie looked around and shrugged when Jareth was nowhere to be found. "So I'm actually here, eh? ... Who would've thought?" She picked a CD out of the pile randomly and pulled out a Linkin Park CD. She sighed and shook her head. "Figures" she muttered. She put it in the CD player and put the headphones over her ears, and began to sing along with the song 'one Step Closer'. (A/N: Marie is also singing with it but I'm not gonna put the "", k?)  
  
I cannot take this anymore  
Saying everything I said before...  
All these words they make no sense  
I find bliss in ignorance...  
  
The less I hear, the less you say  
You'll find that I really wait  
  
(Just like before...)  
Everything you say to me  
Sends me one step closer to   
The edge and I'm about to break!  
I need a little room to break  
Cause I'm one step closer to the edge  
I'm about to break!  
  
I find the answers aren't so clear...  
Wish I could find a way to disappear.  
All these thoughts they make no sense  
I find bliss in ignorance  
Nothing seems to go away!  
Over and over again...  
  
(Just like before...)  
Everything you say to me  
Sends me one step closer to   
The edge and I'm about to break!  
I need a little room to break  
Cause I'm one step closer to the edge  
I'm about to break!  
Everything you say to me  
Sends me one step closer to   
The edge and I'm about to break!  
I need a little room to break  
Cause I'm one step closer to the edge  
And I'm about to!  
Break!  
  
*_*_*_*_*_*  
  
"As you expected, Sarah wanted to challenge the Labyrinth..." Jareth said pacing around the halls while talking to his cousin, (A/N: what should his name be!? I've chosen these for YOU TO CHOOSE FROM: Brian, Conan, Darius, Eden, Everett, Gale, Galen, Hasan, Evan, or Rowan. For now I'll just call him Darius until the vote is made!!) Darius.  
  
"I told you she would, from the stories I hear she has a stubborn streak in her." Darius replied as they both were walking down the many hallways. Darius had black hair cut pretty normally, and he had mismatched eyes much like his cousin's except his right one was gray and his left was green, he was also just as pale as his cousin was.  
  
"Streak? She has no stubborn streak...it's her whole being..."  
  
Darius smirked. "I had a feeling you'd say something along those lines...Who's her friend?"  
  
"The strange one who's in my castle?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"From what I learned from Sarah earlier, her name is Marie...she doesn't seem to be intimidated by me..."  
  
"You're right that is strange, besides the fact that all women in the Underground and other kingdoms flock all over you for your 'beauty' and 'charm', I mean the only one who didn't was Sarah...which is why you're still stalking her..."  
  
"Stalking? I think not! I am simply...following my prey..."  
  
"Yes, yes whatever Jareth. I am your closest relative..." he stopped then added, "Who's not trying to kill you to get the throne"  
  
Jareth shrugged then stopped. "Do you hear that?"  
  
Darius stopped also and listened intently. He could hear someone singing:   
  
"What do I do to ignore what's behind me?  
Do I follow my fate to escape blindly?  
Do I hide my pride away from these bad dreams?  
And give into (? ^^; can't understand this part)   
Do I let it go and try to stand it?  
Or do I try to catch them red-handed?  
Do I trust some and get fooled by phoniness?  
Or do I trust none and live life in loneliness?  
  
The sunlight burns the skin of sleeping men  
I make the right turns but I'm lost within...  
I put on my daily (??) but then  
I just end up getting hurt again   
By myself  
I can't hold on!  
It's all too much to take yea~  
I can't hold on!  
With sense of failure sinking in...  
  
If I turn my back I'm defenseless  
And to give into fate seems senseless!  
If I hide my pride and let it all go on  
Then they'll take from me till everything is gone!  
If I let them go I'll be out done  
But if I try to catch them I'll be out run...  
If I'm killed by the questions like a cancer  
Then I'll be buried in the silence of the answer!!"  
  
Darius looked to Jareth. "...What is she doing?"  
  
Jareth shrugged. "I don't know...why don't you go and find out?"  
  
Darius nodded and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
To be continued...  
  
Firefly: ...er...R&R!!!!!! 


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